Toy talking movie device



Oct. 20, 1931. F. H. OWENS TOY TALKING MOVIE DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Fen/1A N H OWE/v6,

Oct. 20, 1931. F. H. OWENS TOY TALKING MOVIE DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR IkEEHA/V Ow/vs.

Oct. 20, 1931. OWENS TOY TALKING Mov IE DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR ffeszmw l2. Omsws 4 ATT MVEY Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT: OFFICE FREEMAN H. OWENS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

ASSIGNOR TO OWENS DEVELOPMENT COR- PORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TOY TALKING MOVIE DEVICE Application filed November 12,, 1928. Serial No. 318,707.

My invention relates generally to a toy talking movie device and-has for its primary object the provision of an apparatus whereby direct vision movies may be provided by manually moving a picture strip intermittently past a window and simultaneously and synchronously therewith reproducing a talk ing machine record by the same operation.

Another object of m invention is to provide a novel indirect riving means for the picture strip and talking machine record whereby a constant and uniform speed may be maintained.

Further objects and advantages lie in de tails of construction and arrangement of parts, in simplicity of construction and op eration, in detail of speed control and in other features which will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference being had to the figures of the accompanying drawings forming apart of this application and wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my appara tus, certain parts being broken away and shown in section for ciearness oi illustra tion,

Figure 2 is an end view of the device, largely type of picture strip particularly adapted for use with this invention.

Figure 'is a detail side view of a portion of the device illustrating the picture strip reels and drive.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the intermittent sprocket drive for the picture strip, s

In carrying out my invention, I provide a casing or housing 1 having on one side an angular portion 2, in which is provided a window 3 through which the images or characters on the picture strip 4 may be viewed. The casing 1 is also provided on its upper end with a reduced extension 5 to house certain parts hereafter described,

A partition 6 divides the casing 1 into two compartments 7 and 8 and the side wall 9 of the casing closing the compartment 8 is hinged as at 10 whereby to permit ready access to the picture strip reels located in the compartment 8 and the details of which will be more fully described later. i

The opposite side or cover plate 11 of the casing is removably secured in position by means of screws 12 passing through openings 13 in the cover 11 and into threaded holes 14 in the casing. It will be observed particularly with reference to Figure 1 that the openings 18 in the cover 11, through which the screws 12 pass are larger than the screws whereby when the screws 12 are loosened the cover plate 11 may be adjusted slightly with respect to the casing, and when the screws 1% are then tightened, the cover is thus secure- 1y held in adjusted position. The purpose of this adjustment of the cover 11 will be more fully described" Rotatably journaled in the side wall 11 of the casing is a hub 15, the wall 11 being enlarged as at 16 at this point to provide additional bearing for the rotatable hub 15. Secured to the outer end of this hub as by means of the ears or flanges 17 thereon is a crank 18 pivoted as at 19 and provided at its end with a handle 20. The cover plate 11 is provided with an opening 21 whereby when the crank handle is in the position shown in Figure 2, the handle thereof may be re ceived within the compartment 7 of the easing. Obviously, however, this crank and handie may be pivoted outwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 whereby the hub 15 may be rotated thereby. 7

Rigid with the hub 15 just-inside the cover plate 11 is a circular flanged cup or housing 5 32 rotatable with the hub 15 by means of v the crank 18. A coil spring 23 is positioned in this cu or housin and has one end secured to t e flange o the cup as at 24 and the opposite and inner end secured to a hub 25 as at 26. This hub 25 is secured upon a shaft 27 as at 27a, the shaft passing through the hub 25 and journaled at one end in the hub 15 and at the opposite end in a bearing 28 suitably secured to the partition 6.

Preferably integral with the hub is a pulley gear 29, the outer periphery of which is provided with a pulley surface to receive a belt 31, which also passes around the hub 32 of a weighted fly wheel 33 keyed upon a shaft 34 journaled in a bearing 35 formed on the partition 6. The opposite end of this shaft 34 projects into the compartment 8 and has keyed thereto a hub 36 provided at its end with a ring member 37 having the bevelled surfaces 38. Encircling this ring member 37 are outer ring members 39 having inner bevelled surfaces engaging with the bevelled surfaces 38 of the ring 37. These ring members 39 are suitably secured together as by the screws 40 whereby frictional connectlon is established between the ring members 39 and the ring member 37. The ring members 39 are provided at their outer ends with the flanges 41 to provide a cylindrical shell or surface for receiving the picture strip reels 42. Suitable means are of course provided for driving connection between the flanges 41 and the reels 42.

It should be here stated that the inner end ofthe shaft 27 likewise projects into the compartment 8 and is provided with friction drive range identical with those shown in Figure 2 on the shaft 34. As the construction on each shaft is identical, it has not been deemed necessary to show the details of but one.

From the foregoing description, it will be clear that upon rotation of the crank 18, the hub 15 will rotate as well the cup or housing 22, thus serving to place the coil spring 23 under tension. The tendency of this spring 23 when under tension, to uncoil, will be expended upon the hub 25 by virtue of the connection of the inner end of the spring 23 with said hub. Therefore, as long as the unrestrained spring 23 is under tension, the hub 25 will be rotated by such.

spring, resulting in rotation of the pulley gear 29 through the means of the belt 31, as will also the shaft 27. The shaft 34 will thus be rotated as will the inner ring member 37 which through its frictional connec tion with the ring members 39 will rotate the same and consequently the picture strip reel 42. The frictional contact between the ring 37 and the rings 39 permit any necessary slippage during the winding operation of the picture strip upon the lower or take up reel 42. Likewise, the hub 25 being keyed to the shaft 27, the shaft 27 will be rotated whereby the supply reel 42 will be likewise rotated to unwind the picture strip 4 for delivery to the take up reel 42.

/Vith reference now to figures 1, 5 and 6, it will be observed that the pulley gear 29 is provided at diametrically opposite points adjacent its periphery with laterally extending pins 44 adapted to enga e alternate- 1 1y, upon the rotation of the pa? ley gear 29,

with a Geneva or star wheel 45 mounted upon a shaft 46 in a bearing 47 formed on from the supply reel to the take up reel past' and directly beneath the window 3 in the casing. A guide member 49 is slidable along one side of the casing 1 for engagment with the paper strip 4 whereby to hold it in proper sprocket engaging position during the operation of the device. By this means, it will be clear that rotation of the pulley gear 29 by means of the spring 23 will cause the pins 44 to alternately engage the Geneva 45 to rotate the same intermittently and conse quently to cause the sprocket 48 to intermittently move the picture strip 4 past the window 3. The speed of this intermittent movement is of course such that the images on the picture strip 4 appear to the observer to be in motion, the same as ordinary motion pictures.

The partition 6 is provided on one side with guide flanges 50 projecting into the compartment 8, and within which the coiled picture strip 4 is adapted to be positioned whereby to prevent accidental unwinding thereof and to guide the proper feeding of the strip with respect to the reels 42.

The member 29 has been referred to as a pulley gear for the reason that the periphery of the member 29 is provided with gear teeth 51 adapted to mesh with and drive a worm 52 upon a vertical shaft 53 j ournaled at its lower endin a bearing 54 and at its upper end in a bearing 55. Both of these bearings 54 and 55 are carried by the inner surface of the cover plate 11 and the shaft 53 with its worm 52 and other attendant parts to be described, is preferably assembled in these bearings on the cover plate 11 before such cover plate is mounted on the casing. This explains the reason for providing for adjustment of the cover plate 11 by means of theenlarged openings 13 through which the screws 12 pass. Obviously, with these parts assembled on the cover plate. some adjustment of such plai a must be provided in order to properly bring the parts carried thereby into proper operative position and relation with the parts mounted in the casing.

The shaft 53 is provided with a collar 54a keyed thereto and carrying a worm gear 55a for a purpose to be described. The upper end of the shaft 53 extends beyond the hearing 55 and terminates just below the top 56 of the casing There is provided in this top 56, directly in alignment with the shaft 53, an opening 57. A talking machine record support or turntable 58 is adapted to be rotated directly above the casing l and is provided with the usual spindle 59, the lower end of which passes through the opening 57 and h the shaft 53 engages.

has the usual operative engagement with the upper end of the shaft 53. Obviously, therefore, as the shaft 53 is rotated, the turntable 58 will likewise be rotated, whereby a talking machine record 60 positioned upon the turntable may be reproduced by means of the usual reproducer 61 and its needle 62. The reproducer 61 is supported by means of the arm 63 pivoted as at 64 to a vertical shaft 65, the lower end of which is reduced as at 66 and passes through an opening 67 in a supporting bracket 68, forming a part of the extension 5 of the casing. Obviously, with this arrangement, the shaft is free to rotate and permit the carrying arm 63 to follow the sound grooves of the record 60 from the outer edge to the center and by virtue of the pivot 64, the reproducer may be lifted from the record in the usual manner. A horn or amplifier 69 is carried by the reproducer 61 and preferably is so positioned as to face in the same direction as the window 3 of the picture device.

In order that the record 60 is always placed upon the turntable or support 58 in a certain predetermined position, and to prevent it from slipping or turningout of such position with relation to the support 58, I have provided the support 58 with an upstanding pin 580, adapted to pass through an opening 60a in the record 60. It will be understood that the sound groove on the record 60 is started in a certain predetermined position with respect to said opening 60a whereby the simultaneously commencement of sh0wing of the pictures on the picture strip 4 and the reproduction of the sound record may be accomplished and synchronized.

Mounted in bearings 70 in the extension 5 of the casing is a shaft 71 provided with a worm 72 with which the worm gear 5511 on Mounted upon this shaft is a centrifugal governor 73 provided at one end with a collar 74 slidable on the shaft and with a disk 75 adapted to engage the inner surface of the bearing 7 0 when the shaft 71 is not being rotated.

Means are provided in connection with this governor 73 whereby the speed of the turntable 58 and of the pulley gear 29 may be controlled. This means comprises a hell crank arm 76 pivoted at 77 and having one end 78 thereof slotted as at 7 9 to receive a pin 80 carried eccentrically of a disk 81 suitabl mounted for manual rotation by the thum piece 82 positioned just outside the extension 5 of the casing 1. Obviously'rotation of the disk 81 will tend to rock the bell crank on its pivot 77 and cause the opposite end 83 thereof, carrying a laterally extending bifurcated lug 84 positioned in front of the sleeve 7 4, to limit the inward movement of such sleeve and consequently limit the speed of the weighted table 58 and pulley gear 29, is synchronized and renderedconstant and uniform.

It may be here stated that the picture strip adapted for use in this apparatus is prefer: ably provided with images on both sldes thereof. and reversed with respect to each other whereby when the strip has been unwound from the supply reel and wound upon the take up reel past the window 3, the reels may be simply reversed and because of the winding arrangement shown clearly in Fi re 3, the next winding operation of the strip past the window will bring the pictures on the opposite side into view through the window.

From the foregoing description, it will be clear that I have provided a toy talking motion picture apparatus which is manually operated, although not necessarily so, as the same principle could obviously be applied to a power driven apparatus, and by means of which the reproduction of a talking machine record is governed and synchronized with intermittent movement of the picture strip. The usefulness; of a device of this character is of wide application as it may be used for amusement, entertainment, instruction, education, advertising and many other things.

It is believed that the operation of the device is clear from the foregoing description but briefly it may be repeated that the user, desiring to operate this apparatus, places his picture strip reels in position in the compartment 8 closes the cover 9 thereof and places upon the turntable 58, a talking machine record having recorded sound appropriate to the side of the picture strip which is to be viewed through the window 3. Obviously, any desired means of marking or indentification can be provided whereby the reproduction of the record and beginning of the pictures will coincide. Rotation of the crank 18 places the spring 23 under tension which exerts its power upon the hub 25 of the pulley gear 29, resulting in simultaneously driving the intermitttent sprocket 48 and the turntable 58. The governor 73, through the shaft 53, synchronizes the movement of these two elements and regulates the uniformity of speed at which they are driven. At this point, atttention should be called to a clutch device provided in connection with the cup or housing 22 in which the spring is mounted. Carried on the inner surface of the cover plate 11 is a lug 85 positioned directly above and just out of contact with the outer periphery of the flange of the cup 22. This lug 85 is provided on its underside with a recess 86 having a straight side 87 and a tapered or bevelled side 88. Loosely mounted in this recess is a roller bearing 89 adapted to engage with the flange of the cup 22.

Obviously, this arrangement will permit the rotation of the cup 22 in its normal or spring tensioning direction, that is to the right in Figure 1, but will prevent its rotation in the oposite direction due to the wedging action of the roller bearing 89 between the flange of the cup and the tapered surface 88 of the lug 85.

Emphasis should be placed upon the importance of this driving mechanism through the medium of the unrestrained coil spring 23. By this method, it is not necessary that the operator turn the crank 18 at an even and exact uniform speed in order to produce a uniform drive of the picture strip and talking machine record. The turning of the crank merely tensions the spring 28 which in exerting its power drives these elements under the control of the governor 73.

Of course, changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not limit myself therefore to the exact form herein shown and described other than by the appended claims.

I claim 1. A toy talking movie devicecomprising in combination an intermittent picture strip moving device and a rotatable talking machine record support, a rotatable driving member, driving connections between said member and the device and support, and means for rotating said driving member com prising an unrestrained coil spring secured at one end to said member and secured at its opposite end to a spring tensioning device. 2. A toy talking movie device comprising in combination an intermittent picture strip moving device and a rotatable talking machine record support, a rotatable driving member, driving connections between said member and the device and support, and means for rotating said driving member comprising an unrestrained coil spring secured at one end to said member and secured at its opposite end to a spring tensioning device, comprising a. rotatable housing for said spring and means for rotating said housing.

3. toy talking movie device comprising in combination an intermittent picture strip moving device and a rotatable talking machine record support, a. rotatable driving member, driving connections between said member and the device and support, and means for rotating said driving member comprising an unrestrained coil spring secured at one end to said member and secured at its opposite end to a spring tensioning device, comprising a rotatable housing for said spring and means for rotating said housing in one direction only.

4-. A toy talking movie device comprlsmg in combination an intermittent picture strip moving device and a rotatable talking machine record support, a common driving member for said device and said support, a casing for said driving member and sad device, a cover plate therefor, and a drivin conne tion for said support carried by sai cover plate and engageable with said driving member.

5. A toy talking movie device comprising in combination an intermittent picture strip moving device and a rotatable talking machine record support, a common driving member for said device and said support, a casing for said driving member and said device, a cover plate therefor, and a driving connection for said support carried by said cover plate and engageable with said driving member, said cover plate being adjustable in relation to said casing and said driving member therein.

6. A toy talking movie device comprising in combination an intermittent picture strip moving device, and a rotatable talking machine record support, a driven device for actuating said device including a friction clutch, an independent driven device for actuating said support, a governor driven by said last named device, a common driving means for said driven devices comprising a rotatable member, an unrestrained coil spring attached to said member for rotating the same, and means for tensioning said spring.

In testimony whereof. I aflix my signature.

FREEMAN H. OWENS. 

